FastPitch Competition

Last Tuesday, we participated in the business competition known as “FastPitch”. The format was for entrepreneurs to present both their product or service and their business model, all in three minutes. A 3-person panel of judges had three additional minutes to ask follow-up questions or make additional comments.

While we didn’t win any prize money, planning for the FastPitch speech allowed us to think about our reasons for developing Aim High Hoops, and about what we sought to provide to basketball players, parents and coaches. We were able to focus on our mission—“Helping players learn both basic and advanced basketball fundamentals, using high-quality professional resources and customer service” —and how the mission is naturally the cornerstone around which everything we do is centered.

We discussed our first instructional video, “Pure Shooting”, which we look to have for sale by the end of the summer. We believe that a competitive advantage is in the presentation format. Many outstanding athletes do not become successful coaches, because they know how to “do what they do” but not “explain what they do”, as their athletic talents always came naturally and without them having to think about it. As teachers, we know how to break content down into comprehensible, logically-ordered pieces so the audience understands the connection between everything. In this case, our students will be the instructional video viewers and the lesson is about becoming a Pure Shooter.

We also went into depth about the Pure Shooter’s Report Card, our shooting analysis that will allow us to connect to players across the country with individual instruction, right from their own backyards. We wrote a bit about the Report Card back in an April 2010 blog and will continue to share developments.

The third product/service we feature, and have not yet blogged about, are our Aim High Hoops Shooting & Ball-handling clinics. Our purpose with those is not to cram as many players in the gym as we can, but rather, maintain the player to coach ratio at 8:1, ensuring individual attention for each player. The first clinic program correlates with our first instructional video on the mechanics of shooting and the way to become a “Pure Shooter”. We are going to have the DVD and Report Card available on site.

We are extremely confident that what we provide helps players who want to become great shooters become great shooters. The reason for the optimism is because the basketball knowledge that the Aim High Hoops team brings in, in addition to the products we offer, gives a precise picture of how to build the right fundamental foundation for becoming a great basketball player. Obviously, it is up to the players to truly “build” that foundation of skills. The biggest thing to remember is: Players that understand correct habits in early stages have an easier time staying on the fast track to basketball excellence, while players who learn poor habits have a great deal to “unlearn” before being able to reach their potentials, a considerably longer process.

Overall, it was an outstanding experience at FastPitch!

Billy Lewis & Jonathan Schneiderman

Aim High Hoops, Inc.

www.AimHighHoopsOnline.com